onthebuyside.com

Great Summertime Grills - Forbes.com

Ducane’s Meridian five-burner grill, for example, comes with an infrared rotisserie add-on. But it pales in comparison to Cal Flame’s ultra-deluxe Barbecue Island, which can be customized with an ice maker, a pizza oven or even a beer tap.

If you have a private island, I guess the Barbecue Island fits right in.

Digit Online

The BDP-S300 will cost about US$600 — about $400 cheaper than Sony’s current BDP-S1 — and can send out video at 24 frames per second, which is the rate used for films. Doing so is said to provide an image closer to that of film than of video. It will also upconvert lower quality signals to 1080P for output over the HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) connector and works with “Bravia Theater Sync,” a system that more closely integrates the control of the player with that of the TV. Sony hasn’t announced the player for other markets beyond the US.

Question: Will Blu-Ray be the next BetaMax?

Wine Cellar Must-Haves - Forbes.com

If you have fewer than 200 bottles, you probably don’t need to construct a cellar, unless it’s going to be a showpiece in the dining room Otherwise, you’re better off getting a special wine refrigerator that maintains the temperature and humidity.But if you designate a space for your collection, you’ll discover the pleasure of taking a short walk to the cellar and choosing a wine for that evening’s meal. Having a cellar also means there’s a good chance you won’t run out, and that may be justification enough.

And if you have more than 200 bottles of wine at any time, you aren’t drinking it fast enough.

InterActive Home blog presents:

The system runs Windows Vista Home Premium and comes with a remote control and wireless keyboard. It will offer an optional digital tuner for receiving TV, which can be recorded onto the internal 500GB hard disk drive. Sadly, and oddly, there is no Blu-ray drive.The Japanese are getting it first and a US version is due out in March with a price tag of around £800.

That’s about $1,600 for those of you who don’t actively trade currencies.

The Coolest Lounge Chair Ever - SlashGear says:

I’m not sure what Avarte’s intention was when making a chair that stretches at the top, but has a narrower seat. However it is just plain cool. The chair comes with a little seat, but you can always take that off. The chair is made of birch plywood, and the legs are made of epoxycoated round bar.

We say it was designed for people with really wide shoulders and really narrow hips. About time somebody looked out for us!

Sure, it’s too late to change your mind on that holiday purchase, but when you go out to buy large flat TV number 11 (for the guest bathroom) you may want to know whether one type is superior. Yahoo! News gives a long-winded version of “it doesn’t matter” at Plasma vs. LCD: Which Wins? - Yahoo! News

So which is right for you: plasmas or LCDs?”Today, at retail, plasma generally has a pricing advantage over LCD at the same screen size,” said NPD’s Rubin. “That’s a key advantage. But beyond that, it becomes a lot more objective. It starts to become a lot more model-specific.”

Thanks!

Make room for the 70-inch LCD TV: Bernstein - Yahoo! News

“We decided to investigate the optimal screen size for high definition viewing,” wrote analyst Jeff Evenson in the note. “We conclude that 65 inch to 75 inch is the right size for a 10 foot viewing distance.”"Affordability of large screens has and should continue to improve,” Evenson wrote. “Our analysis indicates that 70 inch - 80 inch screens could cost around $3,000 in 2010.”

Of course, why wait? For a few (thousand) dollars more you can be three years ahead of the curve.

We all need security in these uncertain times. We just hate it when our home dumps debilitating chemicals on us.

Platinum Protection - Forbes.com

But burglar, spy or inept visitor beware–hit one of the more advanced security systems out there, and you will not only be faced with impenetrable doors, but with blinding tear gas and other serious deterrents.It may sound like action-film overkill, but some of the wealthiest people turn to such elaborate protection systems to protect their families and valuables. And it’s not, as one might surmise, a post-2001 phenomenon among the über-rich.

By consumers, they mean you!

Samsung Releases 70″ HDTV for Consumers - Gizmodo

So there are pretty damn big TVs out there, 60-inch, 70-inch, and hell, even a 103 incher. Nobody in their right mind is going to own one of these except celebrities. Samsung has announced today the addition of three 70-inch TVs designed for the “consumer market.” These LCD TVs will support full 1080p high definition.

Install this for the basement rec room. You’ll be the first in Greenwich but not the last!

Photos: Hybrid solar lighting | CNET News.com

Sunlight Direct’s system takes outdoor light and distributes it via plastic fiber-optic cables inside buildings.